Lithuania adopted its second National Action Plan (NAP) in 2020, for the period 2020-2024.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, the 2020-2024 NAP “aims to strengthen women’s role in the building of peace and to promote their participation in security and democratic processes at the national and international levels”, taking into account prior implementation of WPS at the national and regional levels. The development of the NAP considered the experience gained over twenty years of the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the conclusions of the Council of the European Union (EU) on Women, Peace and Security, and the provisions of the EU Action Plan regarding the Women, Peace and Security Agenda 2019-2024. It contains objectives, targets, activities, expected results and an allocated budget. It will be implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Ministry of Health, and the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior, and will be monitored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Lithuania adopted its first NAP in 2011, which identified three overarching objectives: increase the participation of women in conflict prevention as well as military and civilian operations and missions; raise awareness about UNSCR 1325 among Lithunian society and educate the personnel of pertinent institutions; contribute to international initiatives to implement UNSCR 1325, specifically on women’s security and protection of women’s rights. Lithuania reported on the implementation of its NAP in its national reporting for Beijing+25 and in preparation for CSW64 (2020).
The 2020 NAP approaches the implementation of Women, Peace and Security and gender equality at both the domestic and international levels. It changes the focus of national action somewhat from 2015, encompassed by four overarching goals: to promote women’s leadership in international peace processes; to promote gender equality; to intensify international cooperation for the Agenda issues; to advise state institutions, non-governmental organizations on the issues of the Agenda, to raise public awareness. Each objective has corresponding goals, actions, responsible actors, a broad implementation timetable and allocated budget. The 2020 NAP does not have a monitoring and evaluation framework specified.
Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. The country does not have a recent history of armed conflict; nevertheless, Lithuania has been experiencing ongoing tension with Russia as a result of the latter’s military activities, including placement of troops and ballistic missiles, in the Baltic Sea Region. Between 2010 and 2019, Lithuania increased its military spending by 232 percent.
Lithuania is also a contributor to humanitarian aid, including being a contributing donor to the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund, a global partnership that works to empower women in conflict zones and humanitarian crises.
At the multilateral level, Lithuania most recently served as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2014-2015.